Provincial finance minister Muzaffar Syed said on Saturday that the government would provide a secure environment to students of educational institutions. Addressing the prize distribution ceremony of the annual sports’ competitions among the government middle schools of Lower Dir at Sher Khani, Maidan, the minister said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had increased budget for providing quality education to the students of public sector schools.

As outrage and grief over the Peshawar school massacre continued to pour in from across the world, the students of different educational institutions here have put up an encouraging demand to the government to build a school in the name of every student killed or wounded in the Dec 16 attack on the Army Public School, Peshawar.

Members of All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) and students of the member schools of All Private Schools Executive Association, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, held protest rallies and demonstrations here on Saturday against the killing of students in militant attack on the Army Public School, Peshawar.

The District Education Department after consulting heads of schools issued directives to public and private schools to take strict precautionary measures in view of the terrorist attack on the Army Public School and College in Peshawar. The meeting, which was held with District Education Officer Gohar Ali Khan, in the chair discussed in details the law and order and decided to take strict measures to avert such attacks in the district.

Abdul Basit, student of Almisbah Public School and resident of Darvezi in Palosai area, has gone missing since August 25. Hayatullah, father of the missing kid, has appealed people to inform him at 0333-9682965-0925-261516 if anyone has information about him.

The government and private sectors on Friday announced winter vacations in all the public and private schools, colleges and universities. Government schools, colleges and universities in the plain areas would remain closed from December 20 till December 31. These would reopen on January 1, 2015. In the hilly areas the educational institutions would re-open on February 29, 2015.

Rallies were staged and various functions arranged on Friday in the provincial capital and other parts of the province and tribal areas as the people continued to mourn the killings of innocent students and staff of the Army Public School and College in the worst terrorist attack on Tuesday.

Minister of State for National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar has directed the ministry to prepare a plan in coordination with key stakeholders for provision of counselling sessions on “post-traumatic stress management” for Peshawar tragedy victims.

Repair and reconstruction work has been initiated at Army Public School (APS) as the country struggles to deal with the bloodcurdling massacre of nearly 150 schoolchildren and teachers earlier this week.

Students, teachers with their heavy hearts across the city educational institutions have mourned the Peshawar’s fallen sons and daughters. They observed a two-minute silence on Friday to pay tributes to the children, who became victims to the terror attack on a Peshawar school.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan has said that the Shaheed Principal of Army Public School, Tahira Qazi, deserves due national award in acknowledgement of her brave struggle to protect the school students during the attack on the school.

Secretary General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, Iyad Amin Madani, Saturday expressed deep sense of sympathy over the December 16 terrorist attack on the Army Public School. The OIC secretary general held separate meetings with Governor Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan and Chief Minister Pervez Khattak.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a letter to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, on the Terrorist Attack in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan has said Japan condemns in the strongest terms the devastating terrorist attack in Peshawar. Such a cowardly terror that took lives of many students and teachers at school cannot be justified for any reasons.

Security of private, government and army-run educational institutions and sensitive installations in the Gilgit city has been tightened to avert any terrorist attack in the wake of the massacre of schoolchildren in Peshawar.

As daunting as the prospect of working in December’s below freezing temperatures may be, head of Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) Gilgit-Baltistan’s chapter Noorul Ain has never been one to shy away from a challenge. Noor served as an adviser on education and women’s development in the G-B government from 2006-2009 during General (retd) Pervez Musharraf’s tenure. In her stint as the adviser, a number of girls schools were upgraded to colleges in remote valleys.

In view of security concern caused by the Taliban attack on Army Public School in Peshawar, the administration of Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering, and Manage-ment Sciences (Buitems) and Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University (SBKWU) have decided to observe holiday from Monday (today).

MNA said that government is seriously working for the education progress. He said that government taking important steps toward development. Government has increased the budgetary allocation for education

JTI said that government usually pays dues for taking test for quality education. For 8 months the government is not paying their dues, as result that it is expected that the education standards might get down.

BSO chairperson said that awarding prized to students in un-notified convocation at Bolan Medical College is un justified. Most of the position holders were unaware about it and they lost their right to get prizes.

The Senate will not have a private members’ day on Monday (today) to allow the senators to have a formal debate on the Dec 16 terrorist attack on Peshawar’s Army Public School (APS). According to the one-point agenda issued by the Senate Secretariat, the senators will hold a “discussion on the incident of attack by terrorists on Army Public School in Peshawar” during the session starting on Monday afternoon after a two-day recess.

The horrific incident of Army Public School Peshawar has woken up the Islamabad administration to the security issues of educational institutions in the capital city. Inspector General of Police Islamabad Tahir Alam Khan told the media recently that a team comprising police and intelligence agencies personnel would identify loopholes in the security of schools and suggest measures to plug them.

Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) will conduct it F.Sc practical exams for the Semester Spring, 2014 from January 5. These practical exams will be held at examination centre number 185 (Block No.4, AIOU Lab, and Islamabad) examination center number 145 (Govt. College of Science, Wahdat Road, Lahore), and examination centre number 199 (Govt. Islamia College, Sargodha Road, Faisalabad).

Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) had scheduled its final exams of Matric, FA and BA programmes for Pakistanis settled in middle-east countries from January 5. These exams would take place in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Oman and Bahrain, this was announced by the Controller of Exams, Iqbal Hussain, said a press release.

Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) will hold the postponed exams of Master’s levels on 8th and 9th of January 2015 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province. These papers were previously scheduled to be held on 17th and 18th December which were cancelled in all the examination centres of AIOU in KPK due to the terrorist attack at Army Public School, Peshawar, this was stated by the Controller of Exams, Iqbal Hussain.

A two-day event titled “Workshop on Power Electronics with Renewable Integration” organized by the Department of Electronics Engineering of International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) commenced here on Saturday. The IIUI and other universities’ students including participants from NUST, Bahria University, FAST, UET as well as experts from PAEC, SNGPL and NDC attended the workshop.

In anticipation of a backlash from the sympathisers of the terrorists from the continuing executions of the condemned terrorists, the federal capital police are on high alert and in collaboration with the Rawalpindi police, Rawalpindi education department and the intelligence agencies have expedited their hunt for the Afghan nationals illegally staying in Pakistan, it has been learnt reliably on Sunday.

Calls for introducing sweeping reforms in religious seminaries continue to grow as protest demonstrations continued in the federal capital on Saturday over the brutal killing of school students by Taliban in Peshawar.

A three-day international conference on ‘Frontiers of Information Technology’ concluded here on Friday. Organised by the COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT), the conference featured invited talks, technical sessions, and a research symposium.

Even after the expiry of deadline set by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), many ineligible students who were wrongly given laptops under the Prime Minister Scheme have failed to return them to their universities.

Private schools of Islamabad will close their campuses for winter vacation from tomorrow (Monday). However, they will reopen on January 5 in violation of the Capital Administration and Development Division’s school closure announcement. Lately, the CADD had announced the government and private schools would remain closed for winter vacation from December 22 to December 31.

All major public and private universities have been closed for one week due to ongoing security situation after attack on Army Public School in Peshawar.International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), which has already been hit by two suicide blasts in October 2009, will remain closed for one week.

The National Institute of Science and Technical Education, a subordinate department of the Capital Administration and Development Division, has evicted around one and a half dozen employees from its hostels. The eviction comes on the completion of a 15-day notice served on those occupying hostel rooms against the rules, according to NISTE Deputy Director (Administration) Muhammad Kamran.

The deadly attack on a school in Peshawar has led to an atmosphere of gloom, anxiety and stress for those children who have survived as well as for the families of innocent injured children and teachers. Minister of State for National Health Services, Regulation & Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar said this and directed the ministry to prepare a plan in coordination with key stakeholders in support of provincial and military efforts for provision of counselling sessions on “post-traumatic stress management” on immediate basis for victims of this incident, including students, their families and teachers, which would help them recover from the shock they have undergone.

The Federal Government College Teachers Association (FGCTA) held a condolence reference at Islamabad Model Postgraduate College H-8 to express solidarity with the victims and survivors of the Peshawar massacre, said a press release issued here on Saturday.

Keeping in view the security plans at Peshawar, Bannu, Kamalia, Shorkot and D.I Khan it is decided to have security check posts are different gateways of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. During a search operation police has arrested 130 criminals for suspected terrorism.

Allama Iqbal Open University announced to take exams of Matric, FA and BA students living in Golf from 5 January. For this purpose, AIOU nominated the examination centers there and sent roll number slips there to students.

In a high-level meeting, Higher Education Commission decided to make sure the fool proof security system at all educational institutions. Special focus will be on important and big private institutions of the country.

Higher Education Commission decided to close all un affiliated and un registered institutions. HEC activated the action committee. In addition, decided not to attest degree of students from un recognized institutions.

EDO education officer ordered to have regular monitoring of educational institutions. There will be boundary wall of at least 8 feet. In addition, security barricades around boundary of Punjab University.

The Little Art, a non-profit organization for non-formal education in Pakistan, in partnership with the Deutche Welle Akademie has organized a Children’s Media Conference from Dec 15 to 20 at a local hotel.

According to a press release, the conference was aimed at promoting research on the need for children’s programming in Pakistan and creating a network of media professionals who wished to produce meaningful content for children.

The Punjab government will establish 250 informal primary schools for children of over 2,000 brick kiln workers in Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan districts. This was announced at a meeting held here on Saturday regarding measures to be taken for welfare of brick kiln workers and their families. Additional Commissioner Rana Shehzad Saeed presided over the meeting.

Many universities of the provincial metropolis have started asking boarding students to vacate hostels to ensure maximum security during the ongoing winter break in the wake of the Peshawar tragedy. An abrupt notice to vacate hostels at Punjab University (PU) has caused problems for students of far-flung areas but keeping in view the prevailing security situation the move has not received criticism from the boarding students.

DCO Muhammad Zaman Wattoo Saturday asked all heads of educational institutions in the district strictly to ensure a foolproof security plan in institutions premises. The DCO said the current circumstances deserve more security to protect our school-going children.

Punjab Teachers Union (PTU) has demanded the Punjab government take immediate measures in order to ensure security at public schools across the province especially primary and middle schools claiming these schools lacked necessary funds. In a press release, the PTU office bearers said the district authorities were issuing only directions in meetings to the schools to ensure security while funds were not being released properly.

THE indigenous training programme for assistant professors (APs) of various departments of Punjab University (PU) concluded on Friday. PU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran, Programme Convener, and Dean Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences Prof Dr Muhammad Zakria Zakar and a large number of assistant professors were present.

Snipers will be deployed at sensitive educational institutions around the metropolis, according to a decision made by police high-ups. According to CCPO Captain (retd) Muhammad Amin Wains, security advisory has been issued to administration of all educational institutions of the metropolis following the brazen daylight attack by Taliban extremist on an army-run school in Peshawar on December 16.

AS many as 5,000 deserving students have been enrolled in the evening class programme of education voucher scheme of Punjab Education Foundation. This programme was launched in Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi in collaboration with the private partners.

Democratic Commission for Human Development (DCHD) Director Tanveer Jahan said on Saturday that the prevalence of child marriage was widespread in the nation. She said child marriages were an obstacle to the government’s development agenda as the state’s primary duty was to provide citizens with quality health and education services.

In the wake of December 16 terrorist attack at an army school in Peshawar, the government is considering a proposal to restart the National Cadet Corps (NCC) training at the college-level to train students in how to act in an emergency situation, The Express Tribune has learnt.

In a bid to identify the possible sleeper cells of militants under the garb of students in religious seminaries and public educational institutions, an aggressive intelligence gathering exercise has been launched across the country, it is reliably learnt.

Postgraduate students of Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Medical and Dental College are set to hold a protest demonstration on Monday (today) against the Institution Review Board (IRB) and Technical Review Committee (TRC), the Young Doctors Association (YDA) has said.

DESPITE the Punjab government’s orders of observing winter vacation from December 19 (yesterday), a large number of private schools remained open on Friday. Most of the schools opened because of the prevailing confusion since an abrupt notification regarding winter vacation schedule was issued quite late on Thursday while many schools opened their campuses to conduct the ongoing examinations.

A delegation from the United States Department of Commerce (USDC) and Higher Education Commission (HEC) visited the Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) here on Thursday. Matters of mutual interest were discussed during the meeting. The delegates showed interest in establishing relationship between the universities of US and Pakistan in the areas of joint research and exchange of faculty and students.

Management of the Abdul Wali Khan University (AWKU) has planned to hand over site of Koi Tangay Kandaray located in Katlang tehsil to the Directorate of Archeology and Museums Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said an official.

Quick response units of the city police have been put on stand-by to avert any terror attempt in the wake of the horrific and depraved attack on a Peshawar school. Meanwhile, 60 schools found not implementing the security strategy prepared by the police for the educational institutions in the garrison city have been warned of being sealed if they did not take the safety measures by a specific time.

Several demonstrations and vigils were held in the city on Sunday to condemn the brutal killing of schoolchildren in Peshawar. The All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) held a reference at the Central Church on Waris Road.

People from different walks of life, including members of the minorities, on Sunday held rallies, special Sunday prayers in Lahore churches and candlelight vigils over the Peshawar school tragedy where more than 140 people were massacred, most of them children.

All schools in Punjab will observe 15-day winter vacations from Friday.

“Vacations will start from December 19 till January 2 in all government and private schools in Punjab,” said a notification issued by the school education department on Thursday. However, the private schools association refused to close their institutions from December 19.

The Punjab government has announced winter vacation in King Edward Medical University, University of Health Sciences and all medical colleges of the province from Dec 20 to Jan 9. The decision will also be applicable to private medical colleges. It was decided in a meeting of principals of all public sector medical colleges presided over by Adviser on Health Salman Rafique at the Civil Secretariat on Friday.

Punjab Teachers Union said to Education Minister and Secretary Punjab that, they require funds for ensuring and completing the security plan for their institutions. Government should provide it to them.

Hamid Nizami Institute of Pakistan has organized a seminar on “Nobel Award for Malala - Educational and social context.” Attendees said that Malala is pride of the nation and we should save future of our children through education.

Punjab Education Foundation through Public and Private Partnership is a model for a good education system. The foundation is successfully implementing their programs. It is providing education to 1.6 million students in 38 districts of Punjab.

Railways police decided to have a strict security plan for railways schools. There will be guard at school. School staff will not enter the school without their office ID Cards. Students will not be allowed to go out in school timings.

Although Punjab Government notified to all public private educational institutions to remain close for security concerns but some the private institutions did their regular activity and were opened for examinations.

A training program for capacity building of Assistant professors held at Punjab University in collaboration with Higher Education Commission. The participants argued that, research is compulsory for higher studies.

The residents of village Haji Khan Photo District Nawabshah organized a protest against Ghost Teachers of their village school. They have alleged that Teachers are getting salaries without attending school. They told media that Education of their children is ruined due to closure of school. They have demanded to open it.

SUP and JIST national party has stood against Ghost Teachers and Ghost Schools of Taluka Dokri District Larkana. They have highlighted that more than hundred schools are closed in the different areas of Dokri, but no one takes notice. They have demanded from responsible authorities to take action against Ghost Teacher to save education of thousands of students.

Complete Story: (Awami Awaz Page No. 3)

Seminar on the condition of Education in sindh

A Seminar was organized at Kotri District Hyderabad by Roshni Development Organization with the collaboration of Sindh S.A.P. on the occasion Mr. Jabbar Kaboro said that movement should be started for the promotion of Education and psychology of people. Whereas, Mr. Ali Baloch said without Education development is difficult and that is being pushed backwards through copy culture and corruption.

Complete Story: (Awami Awaz Page No. 8)

Teacher punished a Tenth class student badly

A 10th class student of Higher Secondary School Muhammad Khan Brohi was badly punished by his Teacher in the school at village Jhirik District Thatto. Teacher released his anger on the student due to absent from the school. Parents of the student condemned the inhuman act of the Teacher.

Mr. Sajid Jamal Abro Commissioner Mirpur Khas has shown great concern on the issue of Ghost Teachers and action against them. He has said, Education is basic right of children and that must be promoted by taking good steps and actions against Ghost Teachers. Further he added that Support Units have been established all over sindh. He has directed D.Cs to visit schools at least once in a week and form a progress report and submit.

Despite the decisions of suspending Management Cadre System, Secretary Education Mr. Fazal Ul Allah Pechuho has restored Taluka Education Officers by following Management Cadre System. The restored officers have started the market of corruption in Education. On the other hand Teachers Action Committee has demanded that the decision of High Court should be followed and these officers should be deactivated and sent back to their previous positions.

District Sanghar: Due to carelessness and ineffective actions against Ghost Teachers, the Education System of Tando Adam is ruined and thousands of students’ future is on the verge of devastation. Due to closure of Government Schools, Private Schools are having excessive admissions; whereas, there are also other Government Schools where number of Teachers exceeds from the limit. Higher authorities are blind deaf and dumb to take action and restore schools and take action against Ghost Teachers.

Primary School village Baqa Dahri District Tando Allahyar is under acute shortage of basic facilities of Safe drinking water, Furniture and washrooms. Due to unavailability of facilities, students have to face difficulties; whereas the building is cracked and its roof pieces are falling. Villagers gave informed higher authorities many times, but no notice is taken.

District Badin backward in Education as compare to other districts: Save Education Committee

Coordinator Save Education Committee Mr. Muhamad Sharif Nizamani has stated that condition of Education in District Badin is poor as compare to other Districts of Sindh. Most of the Students are out of Schools and Teachers are not willing to attend schools; it is great death blow to Education from within. Further he said, a meeting is decided on 24th of December for making some strategy to promote Education.

The building of main Primary School village Khadharo Mori is pitiable in condition. For its repairing villagers have protested and have demanded from responsible authorities to take notice and issue budget to get school building repaired. They have cautioned to continue protest till its repairing.

Low utilization of budget on Education has lowered standards and student attendance

Due to low budget utilization on Education in past has affected Education objectives and has reduced the number of students in the schools. Only 25% children in Pakistan reach to the level of Matric class and 75% children quit their studies in between class one to Matric. But in Universities that condition goes down to the level of 12% and the condition of Education in Sindh and Balochistan is worst and dropout ratio is continually increasing.

GSTA President Mr. Ashraf Khaskheli has alleged in his statement that Secretary Education Mr. Fazal Ul Allah Pechuho himself is Ghost and he is involved in corruption; his father was a poor Arabi Teacher and he has become Millionaire through corruption in the Education budget. Further he has warned that after passing winter vacations, they would start protests against Mr. Pechuho on his defective policies in Education.

District Sijawal: High Schools of Daro, Banoon, Jhok Sharif, Mirpur Bathoro and Laaik pur were upgraded to Higher Secondary Schools and Examination Centers were established in those Higher Secondary Schools to facilitate students to easily appear in Examinations. But these examination centers are tried to be suspended. The Higher Secondary schools are to be reverted to their previous positions of High Schools, which is injustice with the students and Thousands of students would face difficulties in order to appear in the examinations in other cities.

District Khairpur: Mr. Asghar Yas lives in village Paka Chang and performs his duty of Teaching to the students with honesty. He remains engaged in Teaching even after school hours. He is a role model for the villagers. Where hundreds of schools are closed, there he is performing his duty for the better future of the students of his village. He instructs students to take active part in acquiring Education.

More than 20 schools closed, Education Department silent to take notice

District Khairpur Mirs: Primary School village Achar Khan Kalhoro, Boys Primary School village Sabit Ali Shah, Primary School village Ghulam Nabi Ujan and many other schools are closed in Gambat. Most of the Teachers, male and female, are not attending schools and getting their salaries. Due to their distant attitude with Education, future of the innocent students’ is ruined and they are being pushed to darkness.

Parents stood against Head Mistress on her corruption in girls’ scholarship

District Larkana: Students of Girls School village full have not received scholarship stipend due to involvement of Head Mistress of the School. Parents of the deprived girls have protested against Head Mistress on her corruption in Scholarship stipend. They have demanded for action against Head Mistress and investigate the matter to provide girls scholarship amount.

District Nawabshah: Government Primary School village Muhammad Ibrahim Abro is under problem of repairing work. The repairing of school building is left in incomplete since one year. Students’ Education is being affected. The villagers have informed responsible persons in Education Department, but yet no response is seen.

Due to carelessness of Government and Education Department ineffective policies Education system of District Mirpur Khas is being advancing towards verge of devastation. The 1430 ruined school buildings are not restored since four years. It is also reported that 422 schools are closed due to different reasons. The rains of 2011 brought complete death blow to the school building. Education Department had assured for the repairing and restoration of affected schools, but since years nothing has happened.

120 Girls of High School village Pir Badal District Khairpur Mirs are deprived of scholarship stipend and the amount of scholarship is taken away through corruption by the Head Master of School along with other staff.

Hundreds of students of Main Boys Primary School from Mirpur Bathoro District Sijawal organized a protest rally against increasing encroachment in front of their School. They have told media that local people and other shopkeepers put their chairs and sit before school gate. Girls face difficulty while coming to school.

For the development of Education, a seminar meeting was organized at District Mirpur Khas where it was declared that 1430 different schools of Mirpur Khas, Thurr parker and Umerkot are closed and affected by the past floods. On the occasion, Director Education briefed that there are only 40 Ghost Teachers in the whole District.

Primary School village Pir Goth District Khairpur Mirs is closed since 13 years and 200 students are kept aloof of Education. Villagers have informed higher authorities to take notice and resolve issue, but still then no positive response seems.

DCs must visit schools at least once in a week: Divisional Commissioner Sajid Jamal Abro

Divisional Commissioner Mirpur Khas Mr. Sajid Jamal Abro has directed during his participation in a seminar meeting that Deputy Commissioners must visit schools at least once in a week for better results in Education and management and form a report of Ghost Teachers. He also added that where number of Teachers is in excessive, they must be transferred to the schools where number of Teachers is short.

The residents of village khadhar Mori District Nawabshah protested for school building of their village during their protest, they told media and alleged that since five years, school is in crumbling condition and no one takes notice of it; students are deprived of basic right of Education.

Commissioner Hyderabad has declared that Taluka Education Officers for the closure of schools in District Badin. Teachers of 500 Schools are on visa and getting their salaries at homes. He has formed a report of the closed schools to submit to Secretary Education.

Assistant Commissioner Mr. Inayat Shah has claimed that all the schools of rural areas of Hyderabad District are opened; whereas 48 closed schools (Girls/Boys) have been restored. He said, the struggle against Ghost Schools was running, but due to political influence and other clashes, these schools were closed.

It is notified that 126 Schools of District Jamshoro are still closed. Education Officer confirms to restore 27 closed schools out of 126. He assured to restore remaining schools soon and save Education.

Education at Taluka Gambat is destroyed and ruined due to closer of schools since 20 years. The closed schools include Primary School Moly Dino Khaskheli, Primary School Jhangal Khan, Primary School Haji Faqir Khan Narejo and others. SMC funds are taken away; students are deprived of their right of Education.

Participants of a three-day symposium have underlined the need of encouraging research activities in the vast field of medical science. They were of the view that the government should inject handsome amount of funds to enrich the ongoing research and encourage researchers so as to find out indigenous treatments of diseases.

The Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology seems to be headed towards another crisis after a meeting of the Fauuast senate in Islamabad reportedly sent the vice chancellor on a three-month forced leave, it emerged on Saturday.

POSCO Asia Fellowship awarded meritorious students of the Karachi University (KU) in a special award ceremony organised by the POSCO TJ Park Foundation and the University on Friday. For the third consecutive year, 10 undergraduate students from the University received scholarship certificates under the name of ‘POSCO Asia Fellowship’, the prestigious scholarship ($500 per person) that is being awarded every year to outstanding universities’ students over Asian countries since 2005.

Sindh Madressatul Islam University conducted pre-entry test for admission Spring 2014-15 for its five departments viz Business Administration, Computer Science, Media Studies, Education and Environmental Sciences on Sunday at its premises.

The SMIU registrar has informed that the Pre-Entry Test for admission spring 2014-15 for Sindh Madressatul Islam University, Karachi will be conducted on Sunday December 21 at 11:00am at SMI University. All intending students are advised to reach the campus one hour before the scheduled time ie 10:00am.

Condolence references and candlelit vigils and processions were held and special prayers were offered by teachers, students, fishermen, villagers and members of civil society and general public in many Sindh towns on Saturday to honour the victims of the Peshawar massacre.

The burnt body of a teenager, who was stabbed to death, was found on the Karachi University premises on Sunday, the Mobina Town police said. The police have registered an FIR (381/2014) under Sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of father of the victim Ishaq Masih, who has nominated two suspects in the case.

Nobody could get through to PIA on Thursday morning. Flights from Lahore to Karachi were delayed, overbooked and cancelled but students and their parents kept calling any airline that was flying out of the city at the earliest.

Inspector General Police Sindh Ghulam Haider Jamali has directed the police officers to prepare a comprehensive emergency response plan with the consultation of all the stakeholders to cope with any emergency situation.He instructed to ensure foolproof security arrangements at all the schools, colleges and other educational institutions at the district level, said a handout issued here on Sunday.

The intelligence agencies on Sunday warned of possible terror attack on school vans in Sindh. According to letter communicated to Sindh Home Ministry from intelligence agencies, terrorists might target school vans in the provincial capital.

The 7th International Symposium of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU) –‘Innovation and Advancement in Health Science’- concluded at Chandka Medical College here on Sunday.

DUHS students protest attack on Professor Zubair

Faculty members and students belonging to different associated institutions of Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) on Saturday staged a rally at Karachi Press Club to protest against murderous attack on the university’s assistant professor of surgery, DUHS Prof Zubair.

A total of 174 doctors, over half of them women, were awarded their postgraduate training certificates at the Aga Khan University’s (AKU) 19th Postgraduate Medical Education graduation ceremony on Saturday. The doctors included 66 interns, 84 residents and 24 fellows, with the longest programme offering five years of training and the shortest a year of clinical practice, according to a press release issued by the university.

IG police Sindh ordered to regularly monitor the boundary of educational institutions. He said to check each official of the educational institutions. The motors entering to the colleges should have security stickers for their identification.

Member Central Executive Committee of Peoples party said that he build the school building with a multinational construction company. Teachers are not getting their salaries for a long time. The case will be forwarded to concerned department.

When a child in any home in the kutcha area or the floodplain bordering Ghotki refuses to go to school or fakes a tummy ache to achieve the same result, his or her parents only have one advice to give: “Run along to school, my child, or Jam Khan Sundrani will come to get you and take you there himself!”

This was meant to be a celebratory piece. I was all set to give readers a window into my whirlwind trip to Oslo where I was covering the proceedings of the Nobel Peace Prize - what a pleasure it was to hear thousands of miles away from home, “Pakistan produces some of the bravest people in the world”. But, alas it wasn’t meant to be.

Over the past eight years, I can think of perhaps three occasions when — as a television host — I’ve had tears in my eyes. On December 17, 2014, I went on air at 9:01 am and spent the majority of the transmission weeping. Pakistan’s psychotherapists and child psychologists need to take time out of their normal routines and help out.

Two weeks ago, hardly noticed by the national news media, the Sindh Assembly unanimously passed, without debate, a private resolution regretting that “efforts are afoot to roll back the provincial autonomy given under the 18th constitutional amendment” and warning that “any deviation [from] or rollback of the 18th constitutional amendment will have serious consequences for the federation”.

I request the federal and provincial governments to announce the opening of schools throughout Pakistan that are named after the children and school staff who were martyred in the Peshawar school tragedy.

Education can act as a panacea for our major distressing problems such as poverty, hunger, unemployment and disease. The majority of out-of-school children live in rural areas. The literacy rate is staggering somewhat at 60 percent whereas India and Bangladesh boast enrolment figures of 92 percent at the primary level.

There are countless universities in Pakistan which are giving an outstanding performance in providing their students with the best of knowledge. Although, education is the major and the only topic that comes to mind when we talk about such institutions, but there are many other things that need to be done along with studies so that the minds of the students stay calm and relaxed. Complete Story: http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=258464

Women empowerment through education

Education is the right of every human but unfortunately in Pakistan women are still mostly deprived of education. For a strong society the role of an educated woman is very important. Education is the only tool that can break the cycle of abuse, and poverty.